Youth unemploymentis a growing concern throughout the EU and deserves to be high on the polical, social and economic agenda. Our society needs to invest in inclusive employment for all, also and especially for the most vulnerable: early school leavers and youngsters with low education levels or physical/mental impairments. A common geographical or transnational approach is required to address this economic and social challenge. Traditionally, diversity management propagates an inclusive human resources management, covering the employer-employee relationship. In line with the Lisbon Strategy and Europe 2020, DME elaborates on the transition process of guiding (vulnerable) students/unemployed young people towards the labor market.

Two and a half years ago, 6 project partners from 5 different countries came together for the first time to work out the Erasmus + project DME (Diversity Management Extended). The project is currently at cruising speed and a large number of actions and tools have been completed or reached their final phase. Take a moment to visit our website… take a look around if there are some tools or info that is useful… and feel free to test some things out. An update so far;

It includes: Overview of the legal framework with regard to employment supporting measures and subsidies in the project partners’ countries;The overview was the basis for focus on methodological approach towards schools and the labor market; When suitable, a project partner has formulate a (government) policy based on other countries’ legislation and good practices.

This includes a methodology of Diversity Management (DME), Empower® has developed a dual model. This dual model consists of a Process model and an Integration Model. The two models can not be separated from one another, and must be used anchored together. The process model must ensure that the development and elaboration of the diversity management proceeds in a methodical and structured manner. The integration model ensures that the policy is captivating, that it is not limited to a theoretical model, but that it is developed customized and has its repercussions in the workplace.

Digital infrastructure (webbased tools)

DME Quick Scan:

This scan can be used to get a better sense to what extent your company is already working on embedded diversity policies. Use this link to take a look!

This tool enables you to create a job profile for all staff members, consisting of a task- and competence list. From this job profile you can distil a personal development plan that can be used as the foundation for future performance reviews. The PDP, the reports of the performance appraisal and the evaluation reports are made available by the system in the form of a PDF file. Use this link to take a look! Coming soon (by the end of may)

DME student tool: Read more info about this in the article below "The Student Tool - by Syntra West"

Scale2Skill:

Scale2Skill is a web-based tool for measuring desired and currently available competences, both from the point of view of the assessor and the assessee. It covers key competences communication, entrepreneurship, flexibility, cooperation, customer orientation, efficiency, independence, problem solving, lifelong learning, stress resiliency, planning and organisation. Each key competence has different statements that can be rated and compared to a specific job profile.

The outcome of the possible differences is a great conversation starter as it highlights the possible progress to be made, and the progress that is already made when more frequent assessments take place. The differences in outcome can be read from a radar chart and a line chart, to give a good overview of in which areas the performance is already good and in which areas further skills should be acquired.

Other tools expected by summer;

HR Career tool: part 2:Read more info about this in the article below "The HR Career Tool - by JKVG"

Self-assessment learning style questionnaire:

This follows the Gardner theory of multiple intelligences and would help learners identify not only their learning style, but also the type of training and didactic materials most suitable to them, as well as occupations/job types corresponding to each learning style.

6th DME meetingVelenje- by PRO WORK

All project partners have met eachother in the Velenje, Slovenia, for the 6th meeting of the DME project. On the 30th and 31st of March 2017 the following elements were discussed; the project handbook, tools and best practices that were shared amongst the European countriers participating in this project (SL, BG, BE, CZ, NL) and the DME tools for students and organizations that were developed by the project partners or are in full production in the near future are discussed. More updated info can be found on the project website.

The Student Tool-bySyntra West

Among many more products, the DME project brings forth a student tool that delivers smooth learning experiences enrichening the competencies of learners, and creating better learning environments in companies. Now is the time to deliver a first version of the tool, so that partners and test users can define feedback on the structure and format. Does the tool do what it is supposed to do? Does it reach its goals? Is the uptake by a wide range of users guaranteed?

The tools focusses on 3 target groups; [1] students, [2] councillors and [3] mentors of companies, and focusses on 4 phases – from matching and preparation, over learning in the workplace until evaluation. Each step renders a differentiated focus on talent and competency management. The whole partnership is working hard to deliver contents (checklists, competence profiles, surveys) under different titles in several partner country languages (Dutch, Bulgarian, Slovenian, Czech) soon. For the intern subjects are included like; what is a good internship about, how to apply for an internship and how to prepare on an internship. For the councillor topics are included like; what is coaching, how mutual expectations can be made explicit and how to keep everyone motivated. With regards to the mentor the following can be found in the tool; how to prepare an investment on human capital, ready to host an intern and what kind of learner is the trainee.

It is our aim to provide the right content for the right target group – therefore the content will also be checked by the partners before publishing on added value and user-friendliness. Interested to see our work on the contents and interested to help us on the check? Don’t hesitate to contact the coordinator of this work package and sign in for cooperation via the following e-mail of the DME projectmanager of Syntra West: Lieselotte.verplancke@syntrawest.be

The HR Career Tool - byJKVG

The HR Career Tool is a useful tool for employers, HR departments or executives who are looking for a specific tool to monitor a sustainable career policy for their employees. The tool consists of several modules that can be used independently of each other;

Welcome Policy | With this tool, you can work out or monitor the welcome process of your new employees. The tool consists of checklists and documents that provide a structural reception policy.

Competence Policy and Performance Cycle (including PDP : personal development plan) | This tool enables you to create a job profile for all staff members, consisting of a task- and competence list. From this job profile you can distil a personal development plan that can be used as the foundation for future performance reviews. The PDP, the reports of the performance appraisal and the evaluation reports are made available by the system in the form of a PDF file.

The focus here will be on the module : Competence policy (incl. personal development plan). To work with this tool, you have to follow a few steps which will be explained here;

Step 1 Website and login | The HR Career Tool is a web based tool. First you have to go to the websiteand sent a request for a log in and a password to the project partner of your country. When you have received this log in and password, you can go to the tool website for starting to work with the tool. You’ll also receive a manual : How to use the HR Career Tool.

Step 2 Create your company account | In this section of the tool you can upload your company logo, check your company identification and the number of employees and you can create your own account with your employees in the tool.

Step 3 Create function profiles for each employee | Here you can work on the function profiles of your employees which include job title, description, job context, organisational situation, job task and job competences (you can also use a programmed library in the tool). When you have finished the function profile, you can download a copy in PDF and send it to your employee and/or save a copy in your personnel database.

Step 4 Create Personal Development Plan (PDP) | In this tool the job tasks and competences you have selected to work on, will appear automatic in this PDP. Now you have to fill out the actions (what are the concrete actions for the employee?) and the success indicators (measurable expected results), together with your employee. When you have finished the PDP, you can download a copy in PDF and send it to the employee and save a copy in the personnel database.

Step 5 The performance review |In this phase you can make a review of the employees performance, based on the PDP. In the tool you’ll find an evaluation form. The employer and the employee can give a score and a feedback on each task and competence that is included in the PDP. Afterwards they can discuss the scores and feedback with each other. When you have finished the discussion, you can download a performance review report in PDF and send it to the employee and save a copy in the personnel database.

After these steps you can create a new PDP and start over the cycle again with the same or new job tasks and competences. In one of our following newsletters, we will discuss the welcome policy module.

More information about the other tools? Keep track of our following newsletters or our websiteorfacebookpage for the last project information!

This project is co-funded by the European Union. The content of this newsletter does not reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Responsibility for the information and views expressed in the newsletter lies entirely with the author(s).